Collapsible rod



'T. R. ARDEN.

COLLAPSIBLE ROD.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I9. I9Ia.

I2 I I5 I 291' s I w Patented Aug. 3, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

www@ RWM' ardu By 1 A TTORNE Y T. R. ARDEN.

COLLAPSIBLE ROD.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I9. 1918.

1,348,145. mmm.; 3, 1920.

25 2| 25 l.' MEMEN- al 2l 2 A TT OHNE I f for cleaning gun barrels, as a cane and for UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS RAYMOND ARDEN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

' COLLAISIBLE ROD.

'Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 3,1920.

Application led December 19, 1918. Serial No. 267,463.

To all lwhom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, THOMAS. RAYMOND ARDEN, a citizen ofthe United States of America, residing at New York city,vin the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Rods, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a collapsible rod which may beiused as a fishing rod, as a rod other purposes to which applicable.

The object of the invention is to provide a simply constructed and readily operable sectional rod whichl may be quickly set up a collapsible rod is or collapsed, and when in collapsed condition may be folded into a small compass without danger of any of the parts being lost. Y

The invention consists essentially of a sectionalized rod, the several sections of which are held together by a flexible connector which 'may be controlled through the medium of a terminal tension member.

The form in which I prefer to embody the characteristic features (of my invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, where- Figurevlis a side elevational view of the device, the` end of the rod being broken off;

Fig. 2 is a plan View; y

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the position of the partswhen the rod sections are released one from the other and in position to be folded together;

Fig.' 4 is a side elevational View showing the device with the rod sections folded together, the front end section having Va part of its wall broken away to illustrate the manner in which the flexible connector is prevented from y.working outof such end section;

Fig. 5 is va side' elevation of the rod in completely extended position;

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view ofthe terminal tension member' and the lever pivotally mounted thereon;

Fig. 7 is a substantially central sectional View of the tension member of Fig. 6 with the lever omitted, `f

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail view illustrating the construction of the rod sections; Fig. 9 is an elevational view partly in section of the construction of a special form of outer end rodse'ction; and

f hollow member, Vpreferably havingone end thereof 21 reduced or sub- Fig. 10 is ay sectional View partly in elevation of a detachable holder for a brush or like object when the device is to be used as a gun rod cleaner.

Before-'proceedingto a detailed description of the invention, it is desired to point out that when the device is in extended condition Y the parts thereof are rigid even though composed of'sections, and this result is obtained by causing the sections to interengage or partially nest one' within the other, the flexible connector merely serving to hold the sections together under proper tension. The strain on the flexible connector is relatively light because of the firm engagement ofthe parts with each other.

Although the invention issusceptible of a great varietyof uses, for. simplicity of description I have herein. shown it and will describe it as being employed as a rod for cleaning gun barrels, although it is to bey distinctly understood that the invention is not limited to such use.

In the drawing, 10 denotes a handle which forms the support for the sectional rod. The handle is preferably channeled or trough shaped, comprising fthe base V11 and the lateral walls 12. Each of the lateral walls l2 is providedfwith a bi-part slot the forward portion llbeing elongated and having strai ht edges, and the rear p0r-v tion 14 being ofset Ain relation'to the portion 13 and having its lower edge serrated or provided with notches as at 15. In the drawing but one of the lateral walls 12 is shown slotted, although in vpractice both walls are provided with precisely similar alined slots and notches. Y

The forward end ofthe handle terminates in a socket 16 into which the rearmost of the rod sections, numbered from 17 to 20, is inserted. y All the rod sections maybe alike in construction, each consisting of an elongated stantially conical, and at its other end a socket 22 so shaped as to snugly receive the portion 21 of the adjacent rod section. j

Extending through vthe several rod sections is a flexible connector 23 which may be of any desired form, such as a chain, cord, or wire cable, the latter being the form shown in the drawing. The forward or outer end of the connector 23 has an enlarged head 24 cast thereon or otherwise attached thereto soV tubular in form, 1

to prevent the cable from being drawn out Y an inturned flange 23 constitutinga stop for Y a perforated head 29 against which one end of the expansion spring 27 rests. rfhe Ycable 23 iscarried through the coiled spring 27 3 said lever being denoted by and Ythrough and beyond the perforated head 29`and is then knotted or provided with any other suitableenlargement such as` 30 so that the cable is prevented from slipping' through the terminal tension member.

Pivotally mountedk on the collar 26 is a suitably formed lever comprising a pair'of shorter arms 31 and a pair of longer arms 32, connected by the web 32, the-.pivot for The lever is channeled or trough shaped to permit the armsr 32 connected -by the web 32a to span the rear part of the casing 25, and the lower end constituting the like arms 31 is bifur- .cated so as to vallow the arms 31 to move freely inA relation to the foie part of the casing 25.V At its lower end each arm 31 is provided wfith a proj ecting stud or screw thel latter being operable in the slot sections Y 13 and 14 of the handle and in the notches 15.

Thel operationv of the invention so far described is as follows: Assuming the rod to be in the extended position indicated in Fig.

5, kthe cone projection 21 of one rod section engages the socketed portion V22 of an adj ato 'collapse the device into the position shown inV Fig. 4, the lever 31-32 is turned about its pivot 33 so as to raise the arms 32 (Fig. 6), thereby relieving the tension on the flexible connector 23 and permitting the n studs 34 to be raised out of the notches 1.5

and the terminal tension member may then be slid forward in the handle' 10, the studs 3,4 riding in the slot portion 13 whereby the flexible connector 23 is slackened. The several rod sections 17 to 2O vare separated from each other by a very slight pull on each, and they may then be .folded one upon the other so as to assume the position shown in Fig. 4. If, now, 1t be desired to again move the parts'into the position of Fig. 5, the

rodsections 17 to 20 are permitted to fall toward the ground, and the terminal tension member is moved rearwardly inthe handle 10 with the lever 31-32 raised as shown in'Fig. 6 until the studs 34 are opposite the desired notches 15, thus drawing the rod sectionsclose together, whereupon the 'leverr31-'32 is turned downwardly vtensioning the connector23 asa result ofwhich the rod sections 17V to 20 are all accurately alined and jinterengaged and firmlyunited to each other. Y y

VExcessive tension on the Vconnector 23 is prevented by the coiled spring l27 in the `cylinder 25. Should there be a tendency'to too greatly tension the connector 23 the head 29 will bedrawn inwardly and vconipress the spring 27 thereby relieving such excessive tension orstrain on the connector 23. If the connector 23 should stretch, as it may do, after a considerable period of use, it maybe shortened by simply makingv a new knot 30and cutting offnany excess length.

If-the device is to be used for a special purpose such as a gunrod cleaner, I prefer to form the forward section 2Oa as shown in Fig. 9 soras to be capable ofrreceiving the brush holder of Fig. 10. Section 20a is provided about midway of its length with socket 35 and immediately adjacent thereto a slot 36 through its upperV wall. Next to the slot 36 isa passage or opening 37 which passes completely through the tubular or hollow portionof the section 20a. At its lower forward end the section 2Oa is prof` i vided with anelonga'ted slot 33V the front Wall of which is beveledas shown at139. The widthof the passage 37 is greatert'han the width of Atheslot 36, vwhile the lower portion of the socket 35' is somewhat larger than the'upper portion 35a thereof.

Referring to Fig. 10, the .brush holder there shown consists of.V a bar or rod 40 having threaded into one end thereof an eye 41 to which the brush orswab for cleaning thev gun barrel may beset. At'its opposite end the bar40 is reduced at 42" and set over the reduced portion 42 is a sleeve 43 capable of a limited sliding movement` on said reduced 'portion' 42. Withinthe sleeve 43 is a coiled spring 44 one endl of. which abuts againstv the end of the reduced portion 42,'and the opposite end of whichabuts againstthe inwardly set head 45 of the sleeve 43. The'head 45 is centrally orificed to receive the shank 46v of av bar which carries a ball or enlargement 47 at one end and has its opposite end 48 threadedaxially into the bar 40. Intermedi-ate its ends the shan-k 46 has a collar 49 fixed thereto against which the head 45 may abut. The sleeve 43 extends beyond the head45 to form an ani ro iso

nular flange 43a fora purpose to bedescribed.

' relativelyto the rest of the shank, passes downwardly throughfthe slot 36 and the ball 47 moves into the socket 35, the position being indicated in dotted lines at Y. In the arcuate movement the flange 43aof the sleeve 43 will ride onrthe beveled. edge 39 thereby compressing the spring. 44, and when the ball 47 is completely seated in the socket 35 and the shank 46 vis in axial alignment with the rod section 2Oa the sleeve 43 will tend to move backwardly under the action of the coiled spring 44 and the projecting flange portion 43a will engage the undercut edge 50 of the rod section 20a thus providing a tight connection between the brush holder and such rod section. To release the 'brush holder from its engagement with the rod section 20a the several operations just described are reversed, until the brush holder again assumes the dotted position X whereupon it may be dra-wn downwardly through the passage 37 and away from the rod section 20a. It is not my purpose to limit the invention to the details .of construction shown and described, as the same maybe varied by those skilled in the art-without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

Vhat I claim is 1. A collapsible rod, comprising a rod section, a support therefor, a flexible connector for connecting the rod section with the support, and pivotal means whereby said flexible connector may be tensioned.

2. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of interengage'able rod sections, a support therefor, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, and pivotal means whereby the flexible connector may be tensioned.

3. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of hollow rod sections, a'support therefor, a flexible connector extending through the rod sections and connecting the same with the support, and pivotal means whereby the flexible connector may be tensioned.

4. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections each having a socket Vat one end and a corresponding projection at the other end thereof, a support for said rod sections, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, and

pivotal'means for tensioning said flexible Yconnector to cause said projections to enter and engage said sockets.

- 5. `A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor, a flexible connector for connecting therod sections with the support, and a ypivotally mounted lever attached to said connector and operable in said support for tensioning and untensioning said connector.

A6.. collapsible rod, Vcomprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, a yielding member to Which one end of the connector is attached,

and means acting on said yielding member to tension and untension said connector.

7. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor, a flexible connector for connecting the rod section with the support, a yielding member in the support to which one end of the connector is attached, and a leverfor actuating said yielding member to tension and untension said connector.

8. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, a spring-pressed member in the support to which one end of said flexible connector is connected, and a pivotally mounted lever for actuating said member to tension and untensionsaid connector.

9. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor having serrated slots in its walls, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, and means in the support engageable with the serrations in the slots therein for tensioning said connector.

10. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor having serrated slots in its walls, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, a pivotally mounted lever operable in said support for tensioning and untensioning said connector, and means carried by said lever for engaging the serrations in the slots.

11. A collapsible rod, comprising a plurality of rod sections, a support therefor having serrated slots in its Walls, a flexible connector for connecting the rod sections with the support, a casing in said support having a spring pressed movable head at one end thereof, one end of said connector being connected to said head, a lever pivotally mounted on said casing and adapted to tension and untension said connector, and projections on said lever adapted to engage the serrations in said slots.

12. A collapsible rod, comprising a support having a socket, a plurality of hollow rod sections each thereof having a socket at one end and a corresponding projection at the other end thereof,`a spring pressed member lin said support, a flexible connector .eX- tending through'said rod sections and having one end connectedto said member, and a pivotedl lever *adaptedV to actuate said member to tension said flexible connector and cause engagement Vbetween said projections and said sockets.

13. The combination `with a rod section having a socket intermediate its ends,- a slot adjacent said socket and a passage adjacent said slot, of an. article holdervcomprising a shank for movement through said passage and slot, said shank having an enlarged head adapted to beseated in said socket, and a yielding memberpartially inclosing said slot y Vand engageable with the end of said rod section.

l14.-,The combination With -a rodsection having its forward end undercut and having a socket intermediate its ends, a slot adjacent said socket and a passage adjacent said slot, of' an article holder comprising a shank vfor movement through said passage: and slot, said shank having an enlarged head adapted to` be seated in said socket, and a spring pressed sleeve adapted to releasably engage thek undercut end of saidA rod section. v Y

Initestimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses THOMAS RAYMOND ARDEN.

Witnesses: v Y

CLARIcn FRANCK, OTTO MUNK. 

